Front-axle drive for motor-vehicles.



2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.9

E. R. NICHOLS. FRONT AXLE DRIVE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

l APPLICATION FILED MAY 2,1913. 1.095,91 6. Patented .May 5, 1914.

E. R. NICHOLS. FRONT AXLB DRIVE FOP. MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2, 1913.

l ,C959 1 6, Patented May 5,l 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. J -37 wir/'158358 I mlm/ R f :2 By

ZMM 33 @www5 l Anonmfys 12J/Ma ERNEST REUBEN NICHOLS, E CHICA-GQ, ILLNOIS.

FRONT-MILE BREVE FOR MOTOR-'VEHCLES Lessard To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, ERNEST R. Nicuons, a citizen of the United States, and a resident off Chicago, in the county of Cool: and State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Fronte-Xie Drive for Motor-Vehi-y cles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The present invention comprehends an improved means for driving amotor vehicle, and especially a farm tractor, through a shaft carried by the front or steering axle, and the invention resides in an improved universal joint or drive connection between the main part of the front axle and the spindle ends thereof, so as to increase the pulling power` of the vehicle.

A further object of the invention consists in the provision of a vcoupling device or joint' including a novelarrangement of geared parts inclosed within a casing between the main part of the axle and the spindle ends thereof, so that during rotation of the spindle ends through the instrumentality of a drive shaft carried by said axle, proper angular movements of the front wheels to a. maximum degree will be assui-ed.

lclith the above and other objects in view, the invention resides more particularly in the peculiar combination and arrangement of parts which will be illustrated as a preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings and described in the specification.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a. part of this speciiication, in ,which like characters of refer- 'ence indicate corresponding parts in all the views, and in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a chassis of a motor car having the improved drive connections for the front axle and wheels;- Fig. 2 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view through one end of the axle and the joint and showing the manner of attaching one of the front. wheels for driving through the same; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one of the drive connections on an enlarged scale, the same being shown partly in Section; Fig. et is avertical sectional view taken ou the line 4 4 of Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line .af-5.o Fig. 3.-

Specification of Lett'crs Patent. Application fusa May e, 1913.

Fatented May 5, :it/i.

Serial No. 765,01?. Y

ln the drawings, the numeral l0 indicates vthe frame of a motor car, which may be ofy any approved design, and the numeral l indicates the rear or drive axle through which rotation is imparted to the rear wheels 1Q from a motor i3. The motor is operatively geared to the rear axle l1 from its drive shaft A, through the instrumentality` of a suitable differential gearing contained in a casing 15. The frontaxle is indicated by the numeral 16` and such axle is in the forni of an -beam providing` top and hot.

tom flanges li' and .18, and is further provided with a central longitudinal casing l) in which a shaft 2O is rotatably journaled. such shaft constituting the front drive of ithe vehicle. The front shaft is operatively .driven from the motor through the instr mentality of an auxiliary drive shaft l 4through suit-able diiferentfial gearing mountled in a. casing 22 carried by the front axle.

Joined to each extremity of the main axle Iportion 16 is a cylindrical shell the same .being infelici-ably threaded thereon, as shown l.at 2f-l, and permanently neld in vertical positions, but further hollowed out longitudinally as shown at 25. Communicating with the hollowed-cut port-ions 25 ofthe shells 23 are thc hollov'edout portions 26 of cooperating outer shells 2T, which are of similar foilirlmt vwhich are threaded on a lbear-- ing sleeve 2S outwardly of each shell 27, as shown at :29. are provided with upper and lower recesses adjacent their cio-acting top and bottom edges, such recesses being of substantially `segmental form and having removably se# cured therein, as by means of fastening screws 31segmental gears 32" which normally inter-mesh.

Each of the shells 23 and 27v The tcp and bottom portions l' and 181 of the axle 16 are removably secured in diametrically opposed recesses 33 with relation to the recesses 30, in the top and bottom faces ,of the shells, by meansof fastening devices or screws 34 so that the exposed faces of the gears and top and bottom portions of the axle are flush with the top and bottom faces of the shells. These parts are all inclosed in a casing, each of which includes top and bottom plates 35 and 3G haviugspaced circular openings through which upper and lower bearing pins 37 are journaled, the et:A

tremities ol the top and bottom plates being convexly artuate in eoneentrie relation to said pins, while the side plates 38 are eon- *neeted to said top and bottom plates and have their extremities terminating at connecting lines passing through the centers ot the pins.

The bearingl sleeves are each provided with flanges 3!) adjacent to the threaded por tions Q9 and these flanges serve to limit the inward thrust ot the hub portions 40 ol' the front driving and steering wheels 4i, whieh are rotatably Vjournaled on said bearing sleevesl through the instrumentality otl antifriction bearings in the form of rollers 4Q. Bearing rings 43 are threaded on the reduced ends of the bearing sleeves 28 and serve to 'limit the outward thrust ot the wheels on the bearing sleeves, and it is to be observed that the hubs are provided with metallie portions 44 which inrlose the. bearing rings 43 and whieh extend outwardly beyond the latter; 'lhe spindle ends of the axle of the front drive shaft are in dieated by the numeral 45, the same having universal connections with the shai't, as indieated in the drawings. 'lhese connections each preferably embody forks Vltti formed on the outer ends ot the shaft Q0, between which blocks 4T are pivoted, while the inner ends lot the spindle 45 are provided with 'forks 4S between which blocks 4t) are pivoted. These pivot blocks 4T and 49 are provided with pivots extending at right angles to the blocks, and said pins serve for the. pivotal connection of the forks 4G and 48 by means of eonneeting links 51 having forked extremities 52 engaged with said pivot pins 50.

By the above-described means, the rotation imparted vto the front drive shaft .20

,as the latter rotates on its bearing 53, may

' as illustrated in Figs. l and 2 of the draw ings by the dotted line positions 'of the parts, so that the especial adaptability of the device `as a farm tractor is enhanced by .ason of the short turns which can be made. '.lhe spindles 45 are fixed to the wheels 4l, and for this purpose said spindles are provided with squared portions 55 engaged through similar openings in spider Connections t of the extended ends et' the metallic portions 4t forming the easings of the hubs, binding nuts 5T being threaded on the spindle ends to seoure the parts in tixed relation, while caps 58are threi'lded on said exttinsionsio prevent the eutranre of dus and grit into the hearing parts.

'l`he l'ront wheels are turned in anfmlar4 mesme diret-tions by means of the usual steering; standard 59 which is eonneeted by n-reans of a link (30 to rods til by means ot an intermediate pivot ronneetion, while the rodstil are in turn pivotally eonnwted to outstanding braekets 132 rigid with the rear plates 38 ot' the Coupling easings. Thus, by rotating the steering standard angular movement is im parted to the brarkets U2 whieh will in turn shift the easings on their pivots 3T whieh are disposed innermost` and as the parts are thus rotated the intermeslnad gears 82 will raus-e the bearing sleeves a'iid spindles to be shil'ted in angular directions with relation to the iront axle and drive sha't't, depending upon the degree of rotation of the standard. and rotation will be imparted to the spindles continuously through the universal coupling between the extremities .0f the shaft Q0 and the spindles.

Having thus deseribed my invention` what l claim as new and desire to seeure b v lietters latent is :M

i. ln a drive mechanism t'or motor vehicles, the eombination with a motor and a rear driv: axle operatively driven thereby; of a t'ront steering axle having a sha l't also driven by said motor, said shatthaving spindle ends having universal eonneetions with the shaft, a part iixedto the axly and a pair of movable parts hinged together, one

'ot the latter parts being pivoted to the immovable part.

In a drive mechanism ior motor vehicles, the eon'ibination with a motor and a rear drive axle operatively driven thereby; of a front steering axle having a shaft also driven by said motor, said shaft having spindle ends having universal connections with the shaft, a stationary partl and a rotatable` part eaeh having gears normally in engagement, and meansI lor simultaneously shitting the efonneetions on 4their pivots whereby the rotatable part will be positively rotated to angularly shit't the spindle ends of the front drive shaft,

3. In a front axle drive for motor vehi cles embodying the combination with a eentral axle and a shaft rotatably carried thereby; of geared means for rotating the shaft, a motor, easings at the extremities of the axle, a pair of parts in eaeh easing, one of each pair of parts being AYan;,ular1y movable and having a bearing sleeve, wheels rotatable on the bearing sleeves, spindles jour naled through the 'sleeves and fixed to the wheels, and universal eouplings between the extremities of the shaft and the spindles.

4. In a trent axle drive l'or motor vehicles embodying the combination with a eentral axleand a shaft rotatably carried thereby; of geared means foiwrotating the shaft, a motor, easings at the extremities ot' theaxle, a pair of parts in each easing, oneof Cil Cil

each pair of parts being movable horizontally, and having a bearing sleeve, Wheels rotatable on the bearng sleeves, spindles journaled through the sleeves. and fixed to the Wheels, and universal couplings between the extremities of the shaft and the spindles, .said parts being positively engaged to partially rotate, whereby the spindles and bearing sleeies will be angularly shifted.`

ln a front axle drive for-motor vehicles cu'iliodving the combination with a central and a shaft rotatably carried thereby; of geared means for rotating the shaft, a motor, casings at the extremities of the axle, a pair of shells in each casing and pivoted thereto, one of each pair of shells being stationary and the other pivoted With respect to the axle, the pivoted shells each having a bearing sleeve, wheels rotatable on the bearing sleeves, spindles journaled to the sleeves andl fixed to the Wheels, universal couplings betiveen the extremities of the shaft and the spindles,'brackets secured to the easings. and a steering standard having a pivotal connection with the brackets for moving the outer shells on their pivots.

o. The combination with a motor; o'f an axle having top and bottom plates and a central easing, a shaft journaled in the casing and geared to the inotorto be continuously rotated, spindles, a universal coupling betiveen the extremities of the shaft and the spindles at the inner ends of the latter, a casing removably attached to the axle and having top andgbotton'i plates and plates connecting the same, said top and bottom plates each havinig a pair of apertures, pairs of circular shells having pivot pins journalcd in the apertures, said shells having recesses, segmental gears in said recesses whereby the outer shells of the respective pairs of shells will oscillate Ain unison, a hearing sleeve removably' secured in the outermost of each pair of shells and inclosing a spindle, a Wheel rotatable on each sleeve and held against end thrust, and means for securing the spindles to the Wheels for rotating the latter as the shaft is driven during angular adjustment of the parts.

7. The combination With a motor; of an axle having top and bottom plates and a central casing, a shaft journaled in thecasing.

and geared to the motorr to be continuously rotated, spindles, a universal coupling be tween the extremities, of the shaft and the spindles at tlie'inner ends of the latter, a casing removably attached to .the axle and having top and bottom plates and plates connecting the same, said top and bottom plates each having a pair of apertures, pairs of circular shells having pivot pins journaled in the apertures, said shells having rc,- ccsses, segmental gears inV said recesses whereby the outer vshells of each pair will oscillate in opposite directions with respect to the axle, a bearing sleeve removablyT se cured in the innermost of each pair Aof shells and inclosing a spindle, a Wheel rotatable on each sleeve and held against end thrust, means for securing the spindles to the Wheels for rotating the latter as the shaft is driven,

and means for moving the casings on the pivots of the innermost shells.

8. The combination With a motor; of an axle having top and bottom plates and a central casing, a shaft journaled in the casing and geared to the motor to he continuously rotated, spindles, a universal coupling between the extremities of the shaft andthe spindles at the inner ends of the latter, a casingrernovably attached 'to the axle and having top and bottom plates and plates connecting the same, said top and 'bottom plates each having a pair of apertures, pairs of circular shells having pivot pins journaled in the apertures, said shells-having recesses, segment-al gears in said recesses whereby the outer shells and easings Will oscillate in unison, a bearing sleeve removably secured in the innermost of each pair of shells and inclosing a spindle, a Wheel rotatable on cach sleeve and held against end thrust, said spindles having square outer' portions, extensions carried by the hubs of the Wheels, and a spider carried by each extension and having a squared aperture re eeiving the squared port-ion of a spindle to cause a Wheel to rotate with its spindle.

9. In a drive mechanism for motor vehicles, the combination with a motor and a rea-r drive axle operatively driven thereby; of a front steering axle having ashaft also driven by said motor, said shaft having spindle ends having universal connectionswith the shaft, a' part fixed to the axle, and a pair of movable parts pivotally connected, one of said parts and theiixed part being disposed in positive engagenientA and the oth er movable part being pivoted to the immovable part.4

l0. n a drive mechanism for motor Vehicles, the combination witha motor and a rear drive axle operatively driven thereby; of a front-steering axle having a shaft also driven by said motor, spindle ends on said shaft, double universal connections between the'spindle ends and shaft, a part fixed to each end of the axle, and a pair of movabl parts pivoted to each fixed part, one of each pair of movable parts being disposed in drive engagement with the adjacent fixed part and supported on the adjacent spindle endsto which vehicle Wheels are adapted to be secured.

11. ln a drive mechanism for motor verficles, :l he combination with a motor and a rear drive axle operatively driven thereby;

Slm'l't, universal connections between the name to lthis specification in the presence of 10 spmdle enfls and shaft, a part xecl to each two subserlbmg Wltnesses.

end nl the axle, a bearing sleeve, on each ERNEST REUBENT NICHGLS driven by said motor, spindle ends for said i In testimony whereof I have signed my l spindle end, :und u pair of movable parts between euch sleeve anclxed part, one of each lWitnesses:

pair of movable paufs being geared to the J. S. COPLEY, adjacent xcd part. M. ODONNELL* 

